Suitcase Choke from Closed Guard

The Suitcase Choke from closed guard is a clever and effective submission that capitalizes on your opponent's strong posture and pressure. Here’s how to set up and execute it:

Recognizing the Opportunity: When your opponent maintains a strong, upright posture in your closed guard, it can limit some typical attacks but opens up opportunities for others like the suitcase choke.
Initiating Movement: Attempt to create movement by attempting to bump up, simulating a setup for another attack. This often causes a strong opponent to react by pinning you back down aggressively, which is exactly what you need for this choke.
Positioning for the Choke: As they pin you down, start to shift your hips out to one side. This lateral movement is crucial as it allows you to position the blade of your ribs against their neck, which is essential for applying the choke rather than causing a crank.
Setting the Choke: With your body angled, use your top arm to reach around and under your own leg. This creates a loop around their neck with your arm.
Securing the Choke: Place your free hand on the ground to help generate a bit of upward momentum. As you rock your body back towards them, thread your arm deeper, ensuring it's tightly positioned against their neck.
Finishing the Choke: Tighten the choke by drawing your leg down while lifting your hips slightly. This movement increases the pressure of your rib against their neck, effectively choking them.
Adjusting Based on Reaction: If the opponent starts to defend or adjust, the movement you've created can open opportunities for other submissions. Always be ready to transition based on their reactions.

This choke works effectively by using your opponent's pressure against them, turning their attempt to control and stabilize into a vulnerability. Remember, the key to this technique is the adjustment of your body to ensure the rib applies pressure directly to the neck, not just cranking the head.